Hawaii best state for retirees in 2014, MoneyRates.com says

Published 10/22/2014

Despite having the highest cost of living, Hawaii is the best U.S. state for retirees in 2014 according to a new study by personal finance website MoneyRates.com.

The study, which examined a variety of economic and lifestyle factors that relate to retirement living (senior population, economy, crime, weather, life expectancy at age 65), ranks Alaska as the worst state for retirees.

Hawaii’s only weak spot in the study was its cost of living, which the study says is higher than any other state in the union. But the state’s strengths in other categories outweighed this downside in the overall rankings. Some interesting findings:

• The average 65-year-old in Hawaii can expect to live more than four years longer than the average 65-year-old in Mississippi.

• As a percentage of property values, property taxes are seven times higher in New Jersey than in Hawaii.

10 Best States for Retirement:

1. Hawaii

2. Iowa

3. Idaho

4. Florida

5. Vermont

6. Arizona

7. Colorado (tie)

7. Maine (tie)

9. Virginia

10. Montana

10 Worst States for Retirement

50. Alaska

49. Louisiana

48. Tennessee

47. Illinois

46. Nevada

45. New York (tie)

45. Maryland (tie)

45. Georgia (tie)

42. Michigan

41. Alabama

Throw the metrics out the window – what do you think are the best and worst states for retirement? Sound off on this thread.